Beautiful Goodbye
by LadyofTimeandDeductions
Summary: She was waiting. Waiting for what? Who was she kidding? She was waiting for a certain tall blonde blue-eyed man who has a devastating past, a problematic present and a shady future to come running down the stairs asking her to search for some criminal threatening his city. For the 3x09 goodbye scene. First Arrow fanfic. Please try it out!


**My first Arrow fanfic. Please go a little easy on me. I hope it's not so bad. This is something like a missing scene from 3x09 in my world. Kinda cliche, I know, but it just fitted so well in my mind. Like I ccan really play it all in my mind how it went. Sooo... yeah :P**

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><p>Felicity watched his back as he climbed up the stairs at the other end of the room. She could only stand and listen to the sound of his footsteps. Each step echoing in her ears, almost mesmerizing her. That was all she could think of. The steady rhythm of his heavy footsteps.<p>

_Clunk!_

_Clunk!_

_Clunk!_

It sounded like it could go on forever. It sounded like hours before she heard that last step. She closed her eyes. Images of him flashed in her mind, standing before the door with his eyes closed, his lips pursed, his hands clenched, his jaw tensed. Then she heard that familiar sound of the door opening, shortly closing.

Silence came next. Except for the soft humming from the ventilation system. The silence was almost comforting. She would have just closed her eyes and enjoy the moment of peace which she rarely gets these days. If it was just any other day, except it wasn't.

Somehow she wanted the silence to continue. Yet why was she standing there staring at the stairs_? _It was as if she was _waiting_. Waiting for what? Diggle or Roy to come down the stairs asking for their mission tonight? Ray to call her asking her to meet him at her office?

Who was she kidding? She was waiting for a certain tall blonde blue-eyed man who has a devastating past, a problematic present and a shady future to come running down the stairs asking her to search for some criminal threatening his city.

But she wasn't going to get that today. Not today. Possibly never. Just then it hit her. He was gone. Just like that. Oliver was gone. He decided to walk the path of death for his sister, Thea. And because of that, Starling City might lose a vigilante hero. Team Arrow might lose a leader. Thea might lose a brother. She might lose a...

A tear fell down on her clenched hand. She pressed her eyes shut.

_Bastard._

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><p>Oliver impatiently checked his watch as he waited in line to book a ticket. He shouldn't even be in line. The plan was to sneak in and get himself a charter plane. Booking a ticket to Nanda Parbat would take too much time and time wasn't on his side. He also feels so much better flying alone to get his mind off of things even for just a moment.<p>

By "things", he meant everything. The League of Assassins are ruthless and cunning and they are truly great fighters. He had fought along side them when Slade's super soldiers attacked the city. He had witnessed what they were capable of. What more of their leader? He wasn't afraid of fighting Ra's al Ghul. He wasn't afraid of dying when everyday he faced the danger of death. He was thinking about what would happen if The Arrow wasn't protecting Starling City, if Team Arrow lost the man who started it all, if Thea Queen found out she lost her only family.

Thea.

How stupid he was to think Malcolm Merlyn would truly protect and love Thea like a father would. He should have realized that was never going to happen because he wasn't even normal to begin with. He clenched his hands into fists. It took everything he had to stop himself from jamming his fist into his face and sending an arrow down his throat.

Anyway, if he was to really die, he realized not much would change. Except for Thea's big adjustment. But he knew whatever he did Malcolm would still intervene with Thea and he also knew Thea needed someone as close as "family". Starling City would only lose The Arrow but that didn't mean it wouldn't have any protection. Team Arrow would still be in business. Roy would become a great marksman and fighter for the city. Plus, Oliver could trust him with Thea's life. He knew the guy wouldn't allow anyone to hurt her. Diggle would be a great father. He would be able to train Roy and, at the same time, be a husband and a father to Lyla and Sarah. And Felicity.

"Thank you." he said to the woman behind the counter, taking his ticket and his passport. He managed to get the cheapest ticket for the day. Well, he wasn't a billionaire anymore. As much as he hated to admit it, he needed to cut on his expenses. He left the line and started making his way to the check-in line.

Felicity Smoak.

She would be a great. Just as she always had been. Amazing woman. Computer genius. Vice-President of Palmer Industries. He swallowed hard, trying hard to ignore the tightening of his chest. And she would have someone who could rake care of her and treat her the way she should be treated. He never liked Ray Palmer but if she wanted him, then what could he do? They were over. He was certain he made it all clear that nothing could happen between them to protect her but that also didn't mean that he couldn't love her.

"Oliver!"

He shut his eyes. He knew that voice and it was impossible. She couldn't be here and he knew she wasn't. Jesus, he could still hear her voice in his head. He walked faster, tying to drown the voice with his pace. That was until he felt a hand on his arm pulling him, forcing him to turn around.

_Slap!_

The shock and the intensity of the slap made him stumble a few steps back. His hand rose to his swollen cheek as he tried to look at the face of his attacker. He caught a whiff of perfume and a flash of gold before he felt a soft pair of lips on his.

She really didn't know what she was doing. Right now, she was running through crowds of people, trying to get to one man that was somewhere in front of her. She saw him and she knew it was him. She tried calling his name but it seemed like he didn't hear her. When she finally reached him, she fought the urge to punch him real hard. In the end, she settled for a slap which was way better than a punch. Then he grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him in, pressing her lips to his.

It took a few seconds before she felt his arms snaking around her waist. She tiptoed and ran her hands through his hair. She hated him. God, she hated him so much. She hated how he made her feel this way, broken and confused. Now he was just leaving her more confused than ever. She shouldn't be here. She should have stayed home and mourned over his coming death and get over it and return back to her ordinary life. Yet her heart just had to be stubborn and force her to call out for Roy to help her get to the airport.

When they pulled away, she watched as his eyes softened with worry.

"Felicity, don't cry..." His soft voice surprising her.

She was crying? At the same time, she felt a tear roll down her cheek. She wiped that tear off her cheek and stared at the moisture on her fingers. Then she felt his calloused hands rubbing along her cheek, wiping her tears. Those hands could kill. Those hands could torture. Yet those hands could also save. Those hands could also protect. And right now, somehow, she felt safe and protected.

"I hate you." Her voice cracked.

"Felicity..."

She shut her eyes when a sob suddenly escaped her mouth. She hated how weak she sounded.

"I hate you so much."

His hands stilled and cupped her face forcing her to look at him.

"Felicity." he said. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be-"

"At the Arrow Cave?" The words were out before she could stop it.

He chuckled. She hated how cute he looked when he smiled. "You've gotta stop calling it... that."

"Or else what?" she challenged him.

He looked away for a moment, considering her challenge. "Or else I'll punish you when I come back."

He saw the sadness filling her eyes at his statement. She looked so small and broken. He wanted to hug her and to protect her but he couldn't.

"If."

"Felicity..."

"I know, Oliver. I'm not dumb. _I know._ Just promise me one thing, if you _do_ make it, come back. Come back to Starling City. Come back..." _to me_, she almost added. She bit her lip, swallowing the sob rising in her chest.

His hands dropped to her shaking shoulders, holding her firmly. "You know I can't..."

She looked at him straight in the eye. "Yes, you _can_. Just...just..." Her words were lost in the tears that were streaming down her face.

He pulled her into his chest, wrapping his strong arms around her small frame. He closed his eyes and nestled his nose in her hair, taking her scent in, memorizing her. It felt like they could stay like this forever. They really couldn't. Not when time was running with each second ticking off the clock towards the death of Starling City.

He placed a kiss on the top of her head before he grabbed her wrists and pushed her away gently.

"Felicity, I have to..."

"I know." she sniffed, wiping her tears with the back of her hands.

He smiled sadly, helping her wipe the tears off her cheeks. "Look at me."

He watched as she slowly raised her head, looking at him with her swollen blue eyes. She looked beautiful even if she was crying. In fact, she looked more beautiful. He wanted to laugh at himself, at how crazy he sounded.

"Goodbye, Felicity."

He took a few steps back, his eyes never leaving her. One last look and he turned away, pulling his hand out of her grasp. He slowly walked away, never looking back.

Another sob escaped her lips. She pressed her palms on her eyes. "Oliver..." No matter how much faith she had in him, she still had this feeling in her gut, telling her that that was the last goodbye she would ever hear from Oliver Queen.

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><p><strong>I'm sorry about that crappy ending. It kinda felt, right? I don't know. The story wrote itself and I couldn't really think of anything else. Thank you for reading though :D Reviews and comments are highly appreciated.<strong>


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